Hello all! Firstly, I am pleased to report that my eco-bricks improvement project has come on in leaps and bounds since my last post. From just a few simple changes, we’ve found a winning formula (1:1:1 ratio of cement, to sand, to plastic) which was able to survive a four-foot drop test, and a spirited attack with a crowbar, with flying colours. The next stage will be a little more scientific, and will involve making a larger sample size of 10-15 bricks, and testing them under three-point bending - hopefully, I will be able to gather enough data to compare them to existing building materials.
Secondly, I’m finally back to diving; over the past week, I have been working towards my PADI Advanced Open Water qualification, and am now certified! Over the duration of the course, I feel I have made great strides in my safety and competence as a diver, becoming confident at depths up to thirty metres, diving from boats, in strong currents, and even at night! The more I dive, the more I am struck by the incredible diversity of live underwater, and the more I am resolved to protect it. Speaking of which, I am excited to finally get started on some biodiversity surveys and reef restoration this week, now that I am qualified at last!
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Cameron, this is an encouraging update. The image of your eco-brick surviving both a four-foot drop and a spirited crowbar attack is certainly memorable! Your progression from informal experimentation towards more systematic testing also demonstrates an important research habit: initial trials help identify a promising formulation, but stronger claims require standardised and reproducible evidence.
Strength is also only one dimension of sustainability. It may be worth considering durability, water absorption, the possibility of plastic shedding or leaching, the carbon implications of the cement, and what happens to the bricks at the end of their useful life. These questions do not negate the value of the project; they help establish where the material could be used responsibly.
Congratulations on completing your PADI Advanced Open Water qualification. Diving at depth, at night, from boats, and in strong currents represents substantial development in both competence and confidence. Given your recent injury, please continue to follow medical and instructor guidance, and avoid allowing the excitement of being back underwater to accelerate your return beyond what is safe.
I particularly appreciate the connection you draw between encountering marine biodiversity and becoming more determined to protect it. Your forthcoming surveys and reef-restoration work should give you an opportunity to turn that motivation into careful service. As you begin, consider how qualification, local ecological knowledge, team protocols, and an honest understanding of your limits work together to make conservation activity both effective and safe.
Excellent progress. You are entering an exciting stage of the LiA: testing whether a promising idea withstands more rigorous scrutiny, while putting newly developed skills into practice in support of the environment that inspired them.